Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!harvard!caip!lll-crg!lll-lcc!vecpyr!atari!dyer From: dyer@atari.UUcp (Landon Dyer) Newsgroups: net.arch Subject: re: Using C as an aid to hand writing assembler Message-ID: <261@atari.UUcp> Date: Thu, 8-May-86 14:14:49 EDT Article-I.D.: atari.261 Posted: Thu May 8 14:14:49 1986 Date-Received: Sun, 11-May-86 00:58:22 EDT References: <817@harvard.UUCP> <460@cubsvax.UUCP> <850@harvard.UUCP> <491@rna.UUCP> Organization: Atari Corp., Sunnyvale CA Lines: 28 In article <491@rna.UUCP>, dan@rna.UUCP (Dan Ts'o) writes: > > Some years ago when I was learning 6800 assembler (anybody remember > > D2 kits?) I used to first write everything in C and then hand compile it > > into M6800 asm. I used exactly the same technique writing video game cartridges for the "old" Atari --- write a module in a kind of psuedo-C, then hand compile it into 6502 assembly. The trick was that each function had three local variables called A, X and Y; it really WAS high level assembly language. My roommate called me "the world's best optimizing C compiler for the 6502." It worked well. You can laugh, but I made the company millions of dollars this way. (It's not MY fault the old Atari blew it --- the engineers were making money but the marketing types out-numbered us three to one! Grrr.) ---------------- Here's a perverse thought: Has anyone done any research on architechures to help people writing /assembly language/? (Maybe the PDP-11, VAX or IBM-370 architechures are optimal, or maybe no one has ever considered making life easier for those who spend their lives coding "down unda.") -- Landon Dyer "If Business is War, then Atari Corp. I'm a Prisoner of Business!" ... {hoptoad,lll-crg!vecpyr}!atari!dyer "Quantity is Quality!"